1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to pressing tongs comprising at least two pressing jaws of which at least one is adjustable from a closed position into an open position and further comprising at least one connector providing a connection to a motor-driven actuating device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pressing tongs are used primarily for sanitary installations in order to connect two pipes or pipe sections to one another by means of connecting members, so-called fittings. For this purpose, the connecting members are slipped over the ends of two pipes and are then plastically deformed in order to achieve a fixed connection between the two pipes by means of the connecting member. The pressing tongs have two pressing jaws for this purpose with machined system-specific pressing contours, respectively. In order to actuate the pressing jaws and, in particular, to exert the pressing force, the pressing tongs are connected by a connector to a motor-driven actuating device having an axially movable plunger. Such actuating devices operate electro-mechanically or electro-hydraulically. The plunger supports pressing rolls with which, upon extension of the plunger, the pressing tongs are closed and the pressing force is exerted.
Manually operated pressing devices in the form of pipe tongs are also known wherein the respective pressing contour is provided as a unitary part of the device. Accordingly, separate pipe tongs are required for each pipe size. Exchangeable inserts which have the respective pressing contour and can be inserted into the pressing tongs are also known. It is then possible to employ the pressing tongs for a limited diameter range of pipes, respectively, corresponding connecting members to be press-jointed.
Finally, actuating devices are known which are comprised of two levers articulated with one another by means of which the pressing jaws can be directly opened or closed. In comparison to the pressing tongs for the motor-driven actuating devices, these pressing tongs are configured differently. The operator of the pressing tongs therefore needs separate sets of pressing tongs for the use of the manual and the motor-driven actuating devices.
It is an object of the present invention to configure the pressing tongs of the aforementioned kind such that they can be used cost-effectively for different press-jointing tasks.
In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the pressing tongs have at least one additional connector for a manual actuating device.
The pressing tongs according to the invention can be connected by a first connector in a conventional way to the motor-driven actuating device. However, when the operator desires to actuate the pressing tongs by means of the manual actuating device, the pressing tongs according to the invention can be connected by the additional connector without problem to such an actuating device. The operator of the pressing tongs according to the invention is therefore not required to acquire different pressing tongs with a system-specific pressing contour or pressing tools with exchangeable inserts or different pipe pressing tongs to match the different types of actuating devices.